When a blow out preventer or subsea casing string fails, the resulting blow out can cause catastrophic damage to associated rigs and other equipment, injury and loss of life, and severe environmental impact from hydrocarbons that escape into the ocean. To at least partially reduce the uncontrolled exodus of hydrocarbons into the environment, the casing string can be sheared to provide a generally straight surface, which can be engaged by a cover having one or more openings therein. It is necessary that such a cover be provided with openings that permit the passage of at least a portion of the hydrocarbons therethrough due to the fact that wholly covering a failed blow out preventer or casing string will cause a pressure build-up that will forcibly remove the cover, or damage the blow out preventer or casing string at another point to enable exodus of the pressurized hydrocarbons. Additionally, the high pressure of the hydrocarbons escaping from the damaged blow out preventer or casing string would cause installation of a cover lacking openings to be difficult, if not impossible.
Thus, completely capturing, controlling, or otherwise directing or diverting the flow of hydrocarbons from such a source is generally not possible, as the high pressure of the escaping hydrocarbons resists engagement of any apparatus to the damaged blow out preventer or casing string, and can cause unintended removal of such an apparatus, especially if the flow of hydrocarbons is ever wholly blocked.
A need exists for methods and systems that enable engagement of apparatuses able to control and/or divert flow of hydrocarbons from a high pressure source.
A need also exits for methods and systems that can capture and/or contain hydrocarbons continuously, without causing a pressure build-up.
Embodiments of the present invention meet these needs.